Blood Sugar Regulation & Metabolic Balance Flashcards

What hormone is primarily responsible for lowering blood glucose levels after a meal?

Answer: Insulin

Insulin is secreted by pancreatic beta cells in response to rising blood glucose and facilitates cellular uptake of glucose, thereby lowering blood sugar levels.

What is the primary storage form of glucose in the liver and muscle tissue?

Answer: Glycogen

Glycogen is a branched polysaccharide that serves as the stored form of glucose — in the liver for blood sugar maintenance and in muscles for local energy use.

The glycemic index (GI) of a food measures:

Answer: How quickly a food raises blood glucose compared to pure glucose

The GI ranks foods on a 0–100 scale based on how rapidly they raise blood glucose compared to pure glucose, which serves as the reference value of 100.

Insulin resistance is best described as:

Answer: Reduced cellular responsiveness to insulin's signal

Insulin resistance occurs when cells in muscle, fat, and liver become less responsive to insulin's signal, requiring the pancreas to produce more insulin to maintain normal blood glucose levels.

Which macronutrient has the most significant direct impact on postprandial (after-meal) blood glucose levels?

Answer: Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose during digestion and are the primary macronutrient that directly and rapidly raises blood glucose levels after a meal.

What is the primary role of glucagon in blood sugar regulation?

Answer: Raises blood glucose by stimulating glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis in the liver

Glucagon, secreted by pancreatic alpha cells during low blood sugar, stimulates the liver to break down glycogen (glycogenolysis) and produce new glucose (gluconeogenesis), raising blood glucose levels.

Which trace mineral is a key component of glucose tolerance factor (GTF) and is known to enhance insulin sensitivity?

Answer: Chromium

Chromium is a component of glucose tolerance factor (GTF), which potentiates insulin action and improves glucose uptake by cells, making it critical for healthy blood sugar regulation.